Six best recreational bets for the Fourth of July

Most of us like our holidays to be of the three-day variety, or longer, especially if you want to get in some quality fishing or camping.

That’s why this odd, one-day, mid-week July 4 has us confused.

If you’re looking for a quick, getaway day on the ocean, to the beach, into the mountains or local lakes, so you can get back to the grind on Thursday, here’s a half dozen ideas for a recreational Independence Day.

Get on a full-day fishing boat Tuesday night and make the most of a day on the water. Most of the landings have boats with plenty of bunks available. Check them out and get the most for your buck on the ocean.

If you don’t want to invest that much time, take a half-, three-quarter-day or twilight trip on a local sport boat. The Prime Time Twilight trip on the Point Loma out of Point Loma Sportfishing has been a real hit. Angler Maggie Beauchamp sent in some great photos of her Friday Prime Time trip and added, in an email: “I had so much fun fishing! There's no better way to spend your time fishing here in San Diego than on a Friday night, with gorgeous weather, a beautiful sunset, with good friends and a personal best calico jackpot winning fish to boot!”

It’s topwater time for big bass at many local lakes, and if you like watching big bass blow up on a twitching plastic frog or Zara Spook or some such lure, this is your time. Lake Jennings is open for a rare Wednesday and can be a sleeper for big bass. Supervising ranger Hugh Marx recommends early-morning hours for the best topwater action. Cuyamaca gives you the bass-trout double. Morena is a drive, but worth it for big bass and great scenery. Others like Dixon, Hodges, Lower Otay, Murray, Miramar, Poway, Santee Lakes and Wohlford are open and worth a try.

Not sure how long this Coastal Eddy and July Gloom marine layer will hang. There was no hint of sun on the Torrey Pines bluffs until nearly 11 a.m. on Monday. But walks on beaches such as Torrey Pines, Coronado and Del Mar, my three favorites, early in the day will be a cool way to start the Fourth of July. Or try some surf fishing or bay fishing. Kelly Gleghorn reports good fishing for shortfin corvina in Mission Bay and San Diego Bay. Grunion start running Wednesday night.

Or how about a mountain hike. The Santa Ysabel Preserve and Volcan Mountain are two connecting hikes and great adventures in Julian. Iron Mountain, Cowles Mountain and Mt. Woodson are great peak hikes.

Rabbit hunting opened July 1. Limit is five per day, 10 in possession. Hunter safety instructor Fletcher Diehl said this looks like an “explosive” year for rabbits. Diehl offers hunter safety classes Aug. 4-5. Call (619) 448-6301.